FEP Encapsulated O-Rings | Advanced EMC Technologies
by Sara McCaslin, PhD Sara McCaslin, PhD No Comments

FEP Encapsulated O-Rings

FEP encapsulated o-rings can survive corrosive chemicals and retain their sealing power in extreme temperatures, which is the main reason more and more engineers are choosing them for harsh environment applications. But what makes these particular o-rings special and what options are available for them?

What Makes Encapsulated O-Rings Different?

Unlike traditional o-rings, encapsulated o-rings contain a solid or hollow core that is typically made from a very elastomeric material. The exterior of the encapsulated o-ring is able to protect the encased elastomer from corrosive media that would adversely affect its performance. Together, the core and encapsulating polymer are able to provide a highly reliable seal even in extremely harsh conditions that may involve aggressive chemicals, extreme temperatures, and high pressures.

Encapsulated o-rings can be used in a wide variety of applications, including flanges, swivels, joints, valve stems, pumps, and even rocket engines. They serve as an excellent replacement for solid PTFE o-rings that are just not flexible enough for sealing in the long term. 

Characteristics of FEP

One of the most popular materials for the jacket of an encapsulated o-ring is FEP (fluorinated ethylene propylene), which has several trade names including Teflon FEP, Neoflon FEP, and Dyneon FEP. It is well known for its resistance to chemical attack, low friction, and a wide operating temperature range of -420°F through 400°F.  FEP remains flexible even at cryogenic temperatures, as well. One of its key characteristics is a very low compression set, allowing it to return to its original shape after deformation. FEP is also non-flammable and easy to lubricate.

While FEP is often compared to PTFE (Teflon), there are several key differences to keep in mind. For example, it does have a low coefficient of friction but it is higher than PTFE; at the same time, it still possesses very low friction with minimal stick-slip behavior. In addition, FEP does exhibit better vapor and gas permeability, which could be key for some applications. It is also melt processable, which means it can be vacuum formed, injection molded, and extruded. And, like PTFE, it is easy to clean even viscous liquids from.

FEP is available in FDA-approved grades, is considered a high purity material, and is less expensive than PFA, another commonly used jacket material. Note that FEP is commonly used in applications such as pump housings, medical components, food processing, fluid handling, and chemical processing.

Recommended Cores for FEP

FEP encapsulated o-rings work especially well with FKM and silicone cores, but there are other options available. FKM, which is a fluro-elastomer, has rubber-elastic properties which allow it to reassume its original shape and form after deformation. This results in excellent properties related to compression set. Silicone cores are not as stiff or hard as FKM cores and exhibit very good flexibility, even in cold temperatures. When combined with a hollow core geometry, this additional flexibility means that less energy is needed to achieve a tight seal. They work best for applications that involve low compressive forces.

Cores made from stainless steel, such as SS 301 or 302, exhibit excellent performance at both cryogenic and high temperatures, ranging from -420°F to 500°F. These cores usually take the form of a spiral spring (not unlike spring-energized seals) and exhibit minimum compression set and good resilience. They are not commonly used with FEP, however. EPDM, which stands for ethylene propylene diene monomer, is a synthetic rubber that performs well in temperatures ranging from -58°F to 300°F. Again, this particular core material is not recommended for use with FEP.

Selecting an FEP Encapsulated O-Ring

First, there are limitations associated with FEP encapsulated o-rings. They should not be used with liquid alkali metals and some fluorine  compounds, and should not be exposed to abrasive media such as slurries and some powders. 

They are not suitable for applications that involve high pressures and are limited to static or slow moving applications. In addition, they are not recommended for applications where the o-ring will be highly elongated and end-users should be aware that installation forces will be higher for FEP encapsulated o-rings.

However, experts agree that chemical attack and swelling are among the most common causes of o-ring failure, and the use of FEP encapsulated o-rings can solve both of these issues. FEP with an FKM core is a standard solution with a low compression set, recommended for operating temperature ranges not exceeding -4°F to 401°F. 

Use of a solid silicone core results in better low temperature performance, with an operating temperature range of -46°F to 401°F. A hollow core, on the other hand, involves lower contact pressures and is ideal for sensitive or fragile equipment. 

Conclusion

FEP encapsulated o-rings involve several key advantages, starting with their excellent chemical resistance, which allows them to be used with corrosive chemicals. These o-rings can handle pressures up to 3,000 psi and provide both an excellent service life and reliable sealing, all at a cost effective price. Their reliability and durability also translate to less downtime and better M&O costs. If corrosive media or extreme temperatures are destroying your o-rings, it may be time to consider an FEP encapsulated solution.

Advanced-EMC will work with you to find the encapsulated o-ring solution your application needs, from FDA-approved solutions for use with food processing equipment or a reliable, cryogenically compatible solution for a rocket. Contact us today to learn more.

Rocket Engine Seals For Use With Cryogenic Hypergolic Bipropellants | Advanced EMC Technologies
by Sara McCaslin, PhD Sara McCaslin, PhD 1 Comment

Rocket Engine Seals For Use With Cryogenic Hypergolic Bipropellants

The use of hypergolic bipropellants such as RP1/LOX have proven to be an efficient approach to seals for rocket engine propellant. However, they require highly reliable, leak-proof seals to keep them separate before actual launch, in part because the bi-propellants will ignite when they come into contact with each other. 

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Teflon PTFE Seals for Static and Dynamic Sealing

Advanced EMC Technologies’ Teflon PTFE seals are one of their frontline products, in continuous demand across many industries. The seal offers perfect static and dynamic sealing for the most demanding applications. Other key features include low friction, chemically resistant, dry/lubricated running used in many industries such as fluid handling, semiconductor, aerospace and instrumentation..

Talking about it, a senior executive with the company said, “The component is an integral part of the equipment across industry sectors. It can withstand extreme temperature, chemicals and pressure. Sealing jacket is made of resilient PTFE and can be energized by an internal spring when needed which applies a load to the sealing element at low pressures. It has unlimited shelf life and controlled friction/load.”

Spring energized seals have a resilient seal jacket and compensates for jacket wear, hardware misalignment or eccentricity. Polymer seal jackets materials include Virgin PTFE, Carbon/Graphite PTFE, Moly/Filled PTFE, Glass/Moly PTFE, Polyimide/Filled PTFE, UH/Polymer PE, 60% Bronze / filled PTFE and PCTFE / KEL F. FDA approved low friction Virgin PTFE is excellent for light duty service, cryogenic applications and low molecular weight gas service.

Carbon/Graphite PTFE offers superb resistance to heat and wear. Good in liquids and steam, it is recommended for dry or semi-dry applications. The executive added for Glass/Moly PTFE, “It works well for high pressure applications and is impressive in hydraulic, steam and water. The material is abrasive in rotary service against soft metals.”


Teflon Spring Energized PTFE Seals by Advanced EMC by PTFEseals

Polyimide/Filled PTFE seals are outstanding in dry service with low wear rate in vacuum and inert gases. It has very low abrasion to dynamic mating surfaces. UH/Polymer PE has higher friction than PTFE compounds. Static and slow dynamic PCTFE / KEL F is best grade for cryogenic applications. 60% Bronze / filled PTFE excels at very high rotary speeds with low pressure.

About Advanced EMC Technologies

Advanced EMC Technologies is an acclaimed company offering industrial grade polymer seals and bearings. The company deals in PEEK polymer seals, spring energized Teflon seals, PTFE rotary shaft seals, polymer bearings and bushings, precision components, nylon bushings and several other such products. The company provides quality products to meet budget and service expectations to clients.

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Sealing Solutions for Aerospace Industry

The aerospace industry needs robust sealing solutions, ever reliable and highly engineered. They need technologically advanced sealing devices that can withstand aggressive chemicals, variegated pressures and high temperatures. Top standard sealing products combine experience, engineering and innovation. These are cost effectively, yet efficiently built, to fit virtually any aerospace application. Read more

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How Should an OEM Go about Purchasing Equipment?

Procurement of top quality components is important for an OEM working in industries like oil and gas, analytical, medical device, aerospace, defense, alternative energy, transport, fluid and air handling, etc. You need to get your things from a manufacturer that is updated about engineering and has the advantage of diversely located facilities.

A manufacturer who is well versed about the engineering processes will be able to choose between them. They will consider all options available and zero in on one that is most cost-effective for producing a solution for you.

On the other hand, diverse location of facilities will make sure that they are able to meet the deadlines. Large manufacturers will have such facilities across countries. For instance, a US company may have manufacturing facilities in Mexico and Asian countries. This will provide them a leg-up as they will be able to divide work among their facilities. Even if one of their units underperforms for any reason, other units will compensate. Moreover, if costs are that important to you, you can request them to get the production in a facility that has low-cost labor.

Along with a robust production line, they must also have stringent quality control system in place to establish that the products moving out of their facility are top grade. Their quality check staff must conduct appropriate checks on the components produced to ascertain these would withstand the pressure when in use. As if that is not enough, they should also have a system to ensure that the components are delivered on time.

Reliable manufacturers are able to customize products according to the clients’ unique requirements. They offer components that are tweaked to perfectly fit in the clients’ requirements. Their engineers will discuss things with the clients and then find out how to come up with a solution.

Conforming to the rigorous use of components, the manufacturers take care that their products meet the most demanding requirements. The components are robust and sophisticated enough to perform when called on. Environment and duration notwithstanding, the products will perform in precise manner.

Reputable manufacturers will be well aware of the fact that malfunctioning components will damage their own reputation and reduce the odds of their bagging future contracts. So they will ensure that the products delivered are best suited for the applications they are meant for. Moreover, they will be willing to go extra miles to ensure that the products are always up to the mark. Factoring in the unique requirements of their clientele, they will make sure that precise products that comply with the procedures are designed. Even if there is occasionally a component that doesn’t match the requirements, they will be fast to replace it.

PTFE Seals (https://advanced-emc.com/polymer-industrial-seals/), gaskets, rotary shaft seals, precision components, polymer materials – their product line will be diverse enough to cater requirements of the clients. Their PTFE products will offer outstanding resistance even to the most aggressive chemicals and handle media at elevated as well as semi cryogenic temperatures. Their products will produce optimum performance when used in the applications they are meant for.

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How an OEM Can Sustain Quality of Production and Operations?

spring energized lip sealIntense competition makes it imperative for industries to arrange the best of material and equipment. Any room for maneuverability is just not there. If they move their stance a bit, they will only create space for competition. Pressure for sustenance of quality is more acute if you are an OEM in sectors like energy where investments are huge and businesses are eager to break even.

Quality of production and operations can be sustained only when you have roped in suppliers you can rely on. You need to ensure timely supply of raw material as well as the equipment to continue with your operations and any let up will only interfere with your schedule, giving advantage to your rivals.

To ascertain that, you need to find a supplier who has considerable experience of working with clients in your sector. It will enable them to understand your requirements and make sure that the delivery is timely and quality unrelenting.

Whether you need solutions for well head connectors, loading swivels, valves, couplings, logging tools, rotary drill bits or anti blow out seals, they will provide for it. They will come with components that are designed for high pressure, chemically hostile environment. Produced deploying the best available technology, these ensure optimum performance. A seasoned supplier will have an extensive range of specialized sealing and bearing solutions.

Usually, such suppliers will be providing equipment for a host of other industries as well like defense, aerospace, transport, air handling, analytical enterprises, etc. Riding on their varied experience, they will come up top-notch components required by these industries.

You can build a viable business only when you have a reliable line of suppliers. So it is essential that you choose your suppliers with plenty of conviction. Working together with them, you will be able to extract the maximum output in the projects you have undertaken.

Such a supplier will be willing to provide design assistance in the geometry and function of a specific part. Riding on their experience, they will put up the most cost effective manufacturing process, providing clients with economic solutions. It enables clients to bring down their overall costs. Plastic bearings, standard bearings, flanged bearings or any other part, they will ensure that it precisely satisfies your requirements.

Qualify polymer bearing suppliers who assure you of providing the components that conform to the best engineering practices. They will take into account that the clients have schedules to meet as well and production lines which should continue running. Their parts stick to configuration provided by the clients. Available in tremendous variety, these components cater to the clients’ specific requirements. All products will be subjected to rigorous quality measuring tests.

A seasoned company will provide quality products deploying an array of processing technologies in molding, extrusion and fabrication. They will have facilities across the world giving the depth to ensure that the production deadlines are met. Willing to go extra miles to meet service expectations, they will be helping clients tackle the challenges. They will be consistent, accurate, on time and on budget, always.

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Polymer Bearing and Bushing Applications

2Whether your industry is Oil & Gas, Medical, Aerospace and Defense, Alternative Energy, Fluid and Air Handling or Transportation your applications demands high quality, high temperature bearings and bushings.

Advanced- EMC Technologies introduces to the industry a diverse line of plane polymer bearings and polymer bushings. Read more

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Advanced EMC – Offering High PV Grades, FDA Compliant PTFE Seals

Businesses in Texas needing chemically resistant, low friction static and dynamic sealing solutions can procure these from Advanced EMC Technologies. They produce high grade FDA compliant PTFE seals that can withstand extreme temperature and pressure.

An executive with the company threw more light on the feature saying, “As the system pressure raises enough to take over from the spring and engage the shaft an ultra-efficient seal is created. The spring of the spring energized seal provides permanent resilience to the seal jacket compensating for jacket eccentricity, wear and hardware misalignment.”

Other salient features of the seals are fluid handling, high PV grades, unlimited shelf life, controlled friction/load and FDA/USDA compliance. The seals are efficient in dry running or lubricated, cryogenic and HPLC applications. They can effectively be used across sectors like medical and defense, medical, biomedical, food service, oil & seismic transportation and pharmaceutical. Polymer seal jacket are made of varied materials like virgin PTFE, carbon/graphite PTFE, moly/filled PTFE, glass/moly PTFE, polyimide/filled, UH/polymer PE, 60% bronze/filled PTFE and PCTFE/ KEL F.

FDA approved Virgin PTFE are known for low friction and light duty service. The executive elaborated, “1000 Fluorolon Virgin PTFE seals are excellent for cryogenic and low molecular weight gas service. It can withstand temperature range of -320 to 450F. Extrusion resistance and friction rating is lowest. Carbon/Graphite PTFE 1034 Fluorolon jacket seats, on the other hand offer excellent resistance to heat and wear. It is recommended for dry or semi-dry apps. It can stand temperature ranges of -320 to 500F. Extrusion resistance is moderate and friction rating is low.”

1017 Fluorolon Moly/Filled PTFE seals are excellent in dry gas with better wear resistance. Temperature range is -320 to 525. Extrusion resistance is very high and Friction rating is low. 1050 Fluorolon Glass/Moly PTFE seals offer superlative wear and heat resistance. These are abrasive in rotary service against soft metals and effective in high pressure applications. It is meant for temperature ranges of -250 to 550F, have very high extrusion resistance and moderate friction rating.